Celestial bodies

By Compiled by Chris Quinn

on March 1, 2014 11:32 AM

Photo: NASA / ESA / Andrew C. Fabian /

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"Costar," a detail of which is seen here, was used to correct focus in the Hubble Space Telescope, and is one of two new pieces from Hubble displayed in "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, is seen at the museum in Washington, on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. The new gallery leaves plenty of room to add new artifacts in the coming years as NASA retires the space shuttle program. After the current mission, only five missions remain. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) less

"Costar," a detail of which is seen here, was used to correct focus in the Hubble Space Telescope, and is one of two new pieces from Hubble displayed in "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibit at the National Air ... more

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP

"Costar," a detail of which is seen here, was used to... Photo-2352173.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This new Hubble image, captured and released on April 19, 2013 by the ESA-NASA Hubble Heritage to celebrate the telescopeâ€™s 23rd year in orbit, shows part of the sky in the constellation of Orion (The Hunter). Rising like a giant seahorse from turbulent waves of dust and gas is the Horsehead Nebula, otherwise known as Barnard 33. This image shows the region in infrared light, which has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pierce through the dusty material that usually obscures the nebulaâ€™s inner regions. The result is a rather ethereal and fragile-looking structure, made of delicate folds of gas â€” very different to the nebulaâ€™s appearance in visible light.== RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS ==HO/AFP/Getty Images less

This new Hubble image, captured and released on April 19, 2013 by the ESA-NASA Hubble Heritage to celebrate the telescopeâ€™s 23rd year in orbit, shows part of the sky in the constellation of Orion (The ... more

Photo: Ho, AFP/Getty Images

This new Hubble image, captured and released on April 19, 2013 by... Photo-4508393.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This handout composite image by NASA/ESA from the Hubble telescope, taken between February 1-2, 2010 and obtained on April 23, 2010 shows an image of a pillar of star birth, three light-years high, depicting how scorching radiation and fast winds (streams of charged particles) from super-hot newborn stars in the nebula are shaping and compressing the pillar, causing new stars to form within it. This pinnacle lies within a stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Carina. The image celebrates the 20th anniversary of Hubble's launch and deployment into an orbit around the Earth. The colours correspond to the glow of oxygen (blue), hydrogen and nitrogen (green), and less

This handout composite image by NASA/ESA from the Hubble telescope, taken between February 1-2, 2010 and obtained on April 23, 2010 shows an image of a pillar of star birth, three light-years high, depicting ... more

Photo: Nasa

This handout composite image by NASA/ESA from the Hubble telescope,... Photo-1915362.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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It may look like something from "The Lord of the Rings," but this fiery swirl is actually a planetary nebula known as ESO 456-67. Set against a backdrop of bright stars, the rust-colored object lies in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer), in the southern sky.
In this image of ESO 456-67, it is possible to see the various layers of material expelled by the central star. Each appears in a different hue - red, orange, yellow, and green-tinted bands of gas are visible, with clear patches of space at the heart of the nebula. It is not fully understood how planetary nebulae form such a wide variety of shapes and structures; some appear to be spherical, some elliptical, others shoot material in waves from their polar regions, some look like hourglasses or figures of eight, and others resemble large, messy stellar explosions - to name but a few. less

It may look like something from "The Lord of the Rings," but this fiery swirl is actually a planetary nebula known as ESO 456-67. Set against a backdrop of bright stars, the rust-colored object lies in the ... more

Photo: NASA

It may look like something from "The Lord of the Rings,"... Photo-4485523.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Tab promo: Hubble Photo-1103430.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This NASA image obtained September 30, 2010 shows The Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light years from Earth, shown in this composite image from NASA's Great Observatories--the Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue), the Hubble Space Telescope (goldand brown), and the Spitzer Space Telescope (red). The Antennae galaxies take their name from the long antenna-like "arms," seen in wide-angle views of the system. These features were produced by tidal forces generated in the collision.The collision, which began more than 100 million years ago and is still occurring, has triggered the formation of millions of stars in clouds of dusts and gas in the galaxies. The most massive of these young stars have already sped through their evolution in a few millio less

This NASA image obtained September 30, 2010 shows The Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light years from Earth, shown in this composite image from NASA's Great Observatories--the Chandra X-ray ... more

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows a celestial object that looks like a delicate butterfly. (AP Photo/NASA)

This undated handout image provided by NASA, released Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope, shows a celestial object that looks like a delicate butterfly. (AP Photo/NASA)

Hubble captured the burning debris from an exploding star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the light from which first reached Earth in 1987.

Hubble captured the burning debris from an exploding star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the light from which first reached Earth in 1987.

Hubble captured the burning debris from an exploding star in the... Photo-3511278.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The Crab Nebula as shot by Hubble alone. It's about 6,500 light years away in the constellation Taurus.

The Crab Nebula as shot by Hubble alone. It's about 6,500 light years away in the constellation Taurus.

The Crab Nebula as shot by Hubble alone. It's about 6,500... Photo-3511251.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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What caused this outburst of V838 Mon? For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the result that it became the brightest star in the entire Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002. Then, just as suddenly, it faded. A stellar flash like this had never been seen before -- supernovas and novas expel matter out into space. Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the above image from the Hubble Space Telescope is actually an outwardly moving light echo of the bright flash. less

What caused this outburst of V838 Mon? For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the result that it became the brightest star in the entire Milky Way Galaxy in January ... more

Photo: NASA

What caused this outburst of V838 Mon? For reasons unknown, star... Photo-4485519.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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When he's not on the links, PGA Tour pro Jimmy Walker takes shots at the stars, using a telescopic camera to photograph distant star systems, planets and other celestial bodies.

When he's not on the links, PGA Tour pro Jimmy Walker takes shots at the stars, using a telescopic camera to photograph distant star systems, planets and other celestial bodies.

This photo, released by NASA on Dec. 29, 1968, shows the view of the rising Earth that greeted Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn. The Earth is about five degrees above the horizon in this photo. The unnamed surface features in the foreground are near the eastern limb of the moon as viewed from Earth. Dec. 21, 2008 sees the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 8 mission bringing Mission Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders as the first humans ever to another celestial body. The mission during which the Apollo 8 crew became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon, paved the way for later missions including Apollo 11 to land the first man on the Moon in 1969. (AP photo/Nasa, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) less

This photo, released by NASA on Dec. 29, 1968, shows the view of the rising Earth that greeted Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn. The Earth is about five ... more

This photo, released by NASA on Dec. 29, 1968, shows the view of... Photo-3860299.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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** CORRECTS TYPE OF CELESTIAL BODY ** In this photo provided by the W.M. Keck Observatory in Kamuela, Hawaii, the Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313 (nicknamed "Xena") received an official name Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006, as Eris, named after the Greek goddess of chaos and strife and its satellite, Gabrielle, also received a formal name Dysnomia are shown. The dwarf planet appears in the center, while the moon is the small dot at the 3 o'clock position. The christening of Eris, named after the Greek goddess of chaos and strife, was announced by the International Astronomical Union Wednesday. Weeks earlier, the professional astronomers' group stripped Pluto of its planethood under new controversial guidelines. (AP Photo/W.M. Keck Observatory, Michael Brown) ** ** BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE W.M. KECK OBSERVATORY less

** CORRECTS TYPE OF CELESTIAL BODY ** In this photo provided by the W.M. Keck Observatory in Kamuela, Hawaii, the Kuiper Belt object 2003 UB313 (nicknamed "Xena") received an official name Wednesday, Sept. 13, ... more

This composite image of Arp 147, a pair of interacting galaxies located about 430 million light years from Earth, shows X-rays from the NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (pink) and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, blue) produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Md.

Arp 147 contains the remnant of a spiral galaxy (right) that collided with the elliptical galaxy on the left. This collision has produced an expanding wave of star formation that shows up as a blue ring containing in abundance of massive young stars. These stars race through their evolution in a few million years or less and explode as supernovas, leaving behind neutron stars and black holes.

This composite image of Arp 147, a pair of interacting galaxies located about 430 million light years from Earth, shows X-rays from the NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (pink) and optical data from the Hubble

This composite image of Arp 147, a pair of interacting galaxies... Photo-5765861.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Now for some earlier image of Orion

NASA's Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes teamed up to expose the chaos that baby stars are creating 1,500 light years away in a cosmic cloud called the Orion nebula. This striking composite indicates that four monstrously massive stars, collectively called the "Trapezium," at the center of the cloud may be the main culprits in the Orion constellation, a familiar sight in the fall and winter night sky in the northern hemisphere. Their community can be identified as the yellow smudge near the center of the image.

Swirls of green in Hubble's ultraviolet and visible-light view reveal hydrogen and sulfur gas that have been heated and ionized by intense ultraviolet radiation from the Trapezium's stars. Meanwhile, Spitzer's infrared view exposes carbon-rich molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the cloud. These organic molecules have been illuminated by the Trapezium's stars, and are shown in the composite as wisps of red and orange. On Earth, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found on burnt toast and in automobile exhaust.

Stellar winds from clusters of newborn stars scattered throughout the cloud etched all of the well-defined ridges and cavities in Orion. The large cavity near the right of the image was most likely carved by winds from the Trapezium's stars. Located 1,500 light-years away from Earth, the Orion nebula is the brightest spot in the sword of the Orion, or the "Hunter" constellation. The cosmic cloud is also our closest massive star-formation factory, and astronomers believe it contains more than 1,000 young stars.

Now for some earlier image of Orion
NASA's Spitzer and... Photo-5729220.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This detailed image of the Orion Nebula is the sharpest ever (in 2012), constructed using data from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys and the European Southern Observatory's La Silla 2.2 meter telescope. The mosaic contains a billion pixels at full resolution and reveals about 3,000 stars.

This detailed image of the Orion Nebula is the sharpest ever (in 2012), constructed using data from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys and the European Southern Observatory's La Silla 2.2

This detailed image of the Orion Nebula is the sharpest ever (in... Photo-5729221.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The Horsehead, also known as Barnard 33, is a cold, dark cloud of gas and dust, silhouetted against the bright nebula, IC 434. The bright area at the top left edge is a young star still embedded in its nursery of gas and dust. But radiation from this hot star is eroding the stellar nursery. The top of the nebula also is being sculpted by radiation from a massive star located out of Hubble's field of view. Located in the constellation Orion. Hubble Space Telescope (HST). (Photo by: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images) less

The Horsehead, also known as Barnard 33, is a cold, dark cloud of gas and dust, silhouetted against the bright nebula, IC 434. The bright area at the top left edge is a young star still embedded in its nursery ... more

Photo: Universal History Archive, UIG Via Getty Images

The Horsehead, also known as Barnard 33, is a cold, dark cloud of... Photo-5729226.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Thursday, January 23, 2014. The rocket is carrying NASA's TDRS-L (Tracking and Data Relay) satellite. NASA uses the TDRS satellites to support the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope, among other craft. The network is 22,300 miles high, at various locations above the equator, and allows continuous two-way contact with the space station and its six inhabitants. less

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Thursday, January 23, 2014. The rocket is carrying NASA's TDRS-L (Tracking and Data Relay) satellite. NASA ... more

This false-color, visible-light image of ISON was taken with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3.

This false-color, visible-light image of ISON was taken with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3.

Photo: NASA, ESA, And The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

This false-color, visible-light image of ISON was taken with... Photo-5524037.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Comet ISON streams through space in this image captured on Oct 9, 2013, by the Hubble Space Telescope. The NASA-funded FORTIS sounding rocket will launch in mid-November to join the dozens of observatories studying the comet. less

Comet ISON streams through space in this image captured on Oct 9, 2013, by the Hubble Space Telescope. The NASA-funded FORTIS sounding rocket will launch in mid-November to join the dozens of observatories ... more

Hubble Space Telescope captures this image on Aug. 26, 2003, on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. NASA has seen many milestones, but successful and not, in trying to explore our neighbor. (AP Photo/NASA) less

Hubble Space Telescope captures this image on Aug. 26, 2003, on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. NASA has seen many milestones, but successful and not, in trying to explore our neighbor. ... more

A photo provided by NASA, from a Hubble Space Telescope image, shows Comet ISON, which will round the sun this week and then be seen by the naked eye — if the sun doesn't destroy it.

A photo provided by NASA, from a Hubble Space Telescope image, shows Comet ISON, which will round the sun this week and then be seen by the naked eye — if the sun doesn't destroy it.

Photo: Associated Press

A photo provided by NASA, from a Hubble Space Telescope image,... Photo-5518269.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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What a difference 11 billion years makes, as can be seen in these two comparative views of our Milky Way galaxy. The top view shows how our galaxy looks today; the bottom view, how it appeared in the remote past. This photo illustration is based on a Hubble Space Telescope survey of evolving Milky Way-type galaxies.
[Top View] — The current night sky is dominated by the white glow of myriad middle-aged stars along the lane of the Milky Way. Interstellar "pollution" from thick dust lanes can be seen threading through the long band of stars. They are interspersed with a few pinkish emission nebulae from ongoing star formation. Thousands of stars appear as pinpoints of light throughout the sky.
[Bottom View] — This is an imaginary view of our young Milky Way as it may have appeared 11 billion years ago, as seen from the surface of a hypothetical planet. The night sky looks markedly different than the view today. The Milky Way's disk and central bulge of stars are smaller and dimmer because the galaxy is in an early phase of construction. The heavens are ablaze with a firestorm of new star formation, seen in the pinkish nebulae glowing from stars still wrapped inside their natal cocoons. The handful of stars visible in the night sky are blue and bright because they are young.
The graphic of today's Milky Way was based on an all-sky image from Axel Mellinger and the Finkbeiner all-sky H-alpha survey. The illustration of the early Milky Way was constructed from the all-sky image from Axel Mellinger and Robert Gendler's image of the M33 galaxy. less

What a difference 11 billion years makes, as can be seen in these two comparative views of our Milky Way galaxy. The top view shows how our galaxy looks today; the bottom view, how it appeared in the remote ... more

What a difference 11 billion years makes, as can be seen in these... Photo-5462115.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This undated image provided by the University of Utah shows the Andromeda galaxy, made by the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronomers are looking for thousands of volunteers to scan computerized images of a neighboring galaxy in a survey that could explain how stars are continually being formed across the universe. The survey is exploring the Milky Way's nearest big neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, about 2.5 million light-years away. (AP Photo/University of Utah) less

This undated image provided by the University of Utah shows the Andromeda galaxy, made by the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronomers are looking for thousands of volunteers to scan computerized images of a ... more

Photo: Associated Press

This undated image provided by the University of Utah shows the... Photo-5176758.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Part of the constellation Scorpius centred on NGC 6357 which has star cluster Pismis 24 in its centre. This image is a colour composite taken by the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS), the field of view is 3.8x3.3 degrees. (Photo: ESA/Hubble Davide De Martin) less

Part of the constellation Scorpius centred on NGC 6357 which has star cluster Pismis 24 in its centre. This image is a colour composite taken by the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS), the field of view is 3.8x3.3 ... more

Photo: ESO

Part of the constellation Scorpius centred on NGC 6357 which has... Photo-5176703.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X"-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or "peanut-shaped" bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy's bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curious feature is also seen in the Milky Way. (Photo: NASA & ESA) less

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X"-shaped structure. Such a feature, which ... more

This image of the Cartwheel galaxy shows a rainbow of multi-wavelength observations from NASA missions, including the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (blue), the Hubble Space Telescope (green), the Spitzer Space Telescope (red) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory (purple). less

This image of the Cartwheel galaxy shows a rainbow of multi-wavelength observations from NASA missions, including the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (blue), the Hubble Space Telescope (green), the Spitzer Space ... more

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This image of the Cartwheel galaxy shows a rainbow of... Photo-4903400.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The Hubble Space Telescope captured a spectacular image of the bright star-forming ring that surrounds the heart of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1097. In this image, the larger-scale structure of the galaxy is barely visible: its comparatively dim spiral arms, which surround its heart in a loose embrace, reach out beyond the edges of this frame. less

The Hubble Space Telescope captured a spectacular image of the bright star-forming ring that surrounds the heart of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1097. In this image, the larger-scale structure of the galaxy is ... more

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a classic spiral galaxy. At only 30 million light years distant and fully 60 thousand light years across, M51, also known as NGC 5194, is one of the brightest and most picturesque galaxies on the sky. This image is a digital combination of a ground-based image from the 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory and a space-based image from the Hubble Space Telescope highlighting sharp features normally too red to be seen.

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a classic spiral galaxy. At only 30 million light years distant and fully 60 thousand light years across, M51, also known as NGC 5194, is one of the brightest and most picturesque

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a classic spiral galaxy. At only 30... Photo-4251830.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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TO GO WITH AFP STORY US-SPACE-ASTRONOMY
This undated composite image courtesy of NASA shows the distribution of dark matter, galaxies, and hot gas in the core of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520, formed from a violent collision of massive galaxy clusters. The natural-color image of the galaxies was taken with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii. Superimposed on the image are "false-colored" maps showing the concentration of starlight, hot gas, and dark matter in the cluster. For decades, the strange substance called dark matter has teased physicists, challenging conventional notions of the cosmos. Today, though, scientists believe that with the help of multi-billion-dollar tools, they are closer than ever to piercing the mystery -- and the first clues may be unveiled just weeks from now. "We are so excited because we believe we are on the threshold of a major discovery," said Michael Turner, director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, at an annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) reported on February 18, 2013. = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO /NASA, ESA, CFHT, CXO, M.J. Jee (University of California, Davis), and A. Mahdavi (San Francisco State University)/" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS =
HO/AFP/Getty Images less

TO GO WITH AFP STORY US-SPACE-ASTRONOMY
This undated composite image courtesy of NASA shows the distribution of dark matter, galaxies, and hot gas in the core of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520, formed ... more

Photo: HO, AFP/Getty Images

TO GO WITH AFP STORY US-SPACE-ASTRONOMY
This undated composite... Photo-4318912.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This image shows the disk galaxy NGC 1277, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. The small, flattened galaxy has one of the biggest central super-massive black holes ever found in its center, the equivalent of 17 billion suns.
CREDIT: NASA / ESA / Andrew C. Fabian / Remco C. E. van den Bosch (MPIA) less

This image shows the disk galaxy NGC 1277, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. The small, flattened galaxy has one of the biggest central super-massive black holes ever found in its center, the equivalent of ... more

Photo: NASA / ESA / Andrew C. Fabian /

This image shows the disk galaxy NGC 1277, as seen by the Hubble... Photo-3808089.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Hubble Photo-3513208.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Called the eXtreme Deep Field, or XDF, the photo was assembled by combining 10 years of NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken of a patch of sky at the center of the original Hubble Ultra Deep Field. (Credit: NASA; ESA; G. Illingworth, D. Magee, and P. Oesch, University of California, Santa Cruz; R. Bouwens, Leiden University; and the HUDF09 Team)

Called the eXtreme Deep Field, or XDF, the photo was assembled by combining 10 years of NASA Hubble Space Telescope photographs taken of a patch of sky at the center of the original Hubble Ultra Deep Field.

The spiral galaxy M100, in a 1993 image that proved, by its clarity, the success of the Space Shuttle astronauts in repairing Hubble.

The spiral galaxy M100, in a 1993 image that proved, by its clarity, the success of the Space Shuttle astronauts in repairing Hubble.

The spiral galaxy M100, in a 1993 image that proved, by its... Photo-3511272.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Hubble found a field of white dwarf stars in our own galaxy that helped astronomers more accurately estimate the age of the universe.

Hubble found a field of white dwarf stars in our own galaxy that helped astronomers more accurately estimate the age of the universe.

Hubble found a field of white dwarf stars in our own galaxy that... Photo-3511285.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The Crab Nebula as seen in this composite photo combining images from Hubble and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, each capturing a different spectrum of light.

The Crab Nebula as seen in this composite photo combining images from Hubble and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, each capturing a different spectrum of light.

The Crab Nebula as seen in this composite photo combining images... Photo-3511250.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This is the center of our galaxy, a composite photo taken by Hubble in near-infrared light, the Spitzer Space Telescope in infrared light and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

This is the center of our galaxy, a composite photo taken by Hubble in near-infrared light, the Spitzer Space Telescope in infrared light and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

This is the center of our galaxy, a composite photo taken by Hubble... Photo-3511316.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Hubble is perhaps at its best when trained upon the closest objects. This spectacular shot shows the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, just two planets away.

Hubble is perhaps at its best when trained upon the closest objects. This spectacular shot shows the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, just two planets away.

Hubble is perhaps at its best when trained upon the closest... Photo-3511322.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This Aug. 26, 2003 image made available by NASA shows Mars photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. NASA's robotic rover Curiosity landed safely on Mars late Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012 to begin two years of exploration. The mission cost $2.5 billion. (AP Photo/NASA) less

This Aug. 26, 2003 image made available by NASA shows Mars photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. NASA's robotic rover Curiosity landed safely on ... more

Photo: Associated Press

This Aug. 26, 2003 image made available by NASA shows Mars... Photo-3293033.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This illustration released by NASA depicts a view of the night sky just before the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy, left, and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. About 3.75 billion years from now, Andromeda's disk fills the field of view and its gravity begins to create tidal distortions in the Milky Way. The view is inspired by dynamical computer modeling of the future collision between the two galaxies. The two galaxies collide about 4 billion years from now and merge to form a single galaxy about 6 billion years from now. Astronomers in a Thursday, May 31, 2012, NASA news conference announced that observations from the Hubble Space Telescope detail a long-anticipated galactic smash-up. Astronomers had seen the Andromeda galaxy coming at us, but thought there was a chance that its sideways motion would make it miss or graze the Milky Way. Hubble readings say there's no chance of that.(AP Photo/NASA) less

This illustration released by NASA depicts a view of the night sky just before the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy, left, and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. About 3.75 billion years from now, ... more

Photo: Associated Press

This illustration released by NASA depicts a view of the night sky... Photo-3011378.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image released 03 November, 2005 shows Mars 28 October, within a day of its closest approach to Earth on the night of 29 October. The large regional dust storm(C) appears as the brighter, redder cloudy region in the middle of the planet's disk. This storm, which measures 930 miles (1500 km) has been churning in the planet's equatorial regions for several weeks now, and it is likely responsible for the reddish, dusty haze and other dust clouds seen across this hemisphere of the planet. Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys High Resolution Imager took this image when the red planet was 43 million miles (69 million km) from Earth. Mars won't be this close again to Earth until 2018. Mars is now in its warmest months, closest to the Sun in its orbit, resulting in a smaller than normal south polar ice cap which has largely sublimated with the approaching summer. AFP PHOTO/ NASA/ ESA (Photo credit should read HO/AFP/Getty Images) less

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image released 03 November, 2005 shows Mars 28 October, within a day of its closest approach to Earth on the night of 29 October. The large regional dust storm(C) appears as the ... more

A handout photo taken by the Hubble space telescope and released on December 14, 2010 by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows a bauble of gas in our neighburing galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. Formed in the aftermath of a supernova explosion that took place four centuries ago, this sphere of gas has been snapped in a series of observations made between 2006 and 2010. less

A handout photo taken by the Hubble space telescope and released on December 14, 2010 by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows a bauble of gas in our neighburing galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. Formed in ... more

Photo: Ho, AFP / Getty Images

A handout photo taken by the Hubble space telescope and released on... Photo-1914021.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This NASA image obtained September 6, 2010 shows the central star of the Hourglass Nebula. With its nuclear fuel exhausted, this brief, spectacular, closing phase of a sun-like star's life occurs as its outer layers are ejected and its core becomes a cooling, fading white dwarf. In 1995, astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to make a series of images of planetary nebulae, including the one above. Here, delicate rings of colorful glowing gas (nitrogen-red, hydrogen-green, and oxygen-blue) outline the tenuous walls of the 'hourglass.' The unprecedented sharpness of Hubble's images revealed surprising details of the nebula ejection process and may resolve the outstanding mystery of the variety of complex shapes and symmetries of planetary nebulae. less

This NASA image obtained September 6, 2010 shows the central star of the Hourglass Nebula. With its nuclear fuel exhausted, this brief, spectacular, closing phase of a sun-like star's life occurs as its outer ... more

This photo provided by NASA, taken in 2006 by the Hubble Space Telescope shows a cluster of diverse galaxies. A new study led by a Yale University astronomer looks at elliptical galaxies, such as the bright one in the top middle of this 2006 Hubble SpaceTelescope photograph, and finds they have far more stars than initially thought. That means the universe may have three times more stars than astronomers previously figured. The bright part of the Hubble photo shows a cluster of galaxies 450 million lightyears with the giant elliptical galaxy ESO 325-G004 looming large at the cluster's center. less

This photo provided by NASA, taken in 2006 by the Hubble Space Telescope shows a cluster of diverse galaxies. A new study led by a Yale University astronomer looks at elliptical galaxies, such as the bright one ... more

Photo: AP

This photo provided by NASA, taken in 2006 by the Hubble Space... Photo-2016058.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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A handout NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image released on September 22, 2010 by the European Space Agency (ESA) reveals the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8). Seen as a massive cloud of glowing dust and gas, bombarded by the energetic radiation ofnew stars, this placid name hides a dramatic reality. Located 4,000 to 5,000 light-years away, in the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer), Messier 8 is a huge region of star birth that stretches across 100 light-years. Clouds of hydrogen gas are slowly collapsing to form new stars, whose bright ultraviolet rays then light up the surrounding gas in a distinctive shade of red. less

A handout NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image released on September 22, 2010 by the European Space Agency (ESA) reveals the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8). Seen as a massive cloud of glowing dust and ... more

This undated handout image provided by NASA, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, shows a small smudge, center, that astronomers believe is the oldest thing they have ever seen,light from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. (AP Photo/NASA) less

This undated handout image provided by NASA, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, shows a small smudge, center, that astronomers believe is the oldest thing they have ever seen,light from a long time ago in a ... more

Photo: NASA

This undated handout image provided by NASA, taken by the Hubble... Photo-433285.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

Image 54 of 69

During the 15 years that the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope has orbited the Earth, it has taken three-quarters of a million photos of the cosmos -- images that have awed, astounded and even confounded astronomers and the public alike. On Monday April 25, 2005, NASA and ESA released new views of two of the most well-known images Hubble has ever taken: the Eagle Nebula, and spiral galaxy M51(NGC5194), known as the Whirlpool Galaxy. The images, among the largest and sharpest views Hubble has ever taken, were made with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). The two new images are so incredibly sharp they could be enlarged to billboard size and still retain all of their stunning details. The new Whirlpool Galaxy image showcases the spiral galaxy's classic features, from its curving arms, where newborn stars reside, to its yellowish central core that serves as home for older stars. The graceful, winding arms of M51 are actually long lanes of stars and gas laced with dust. This sharpest-ever image, taken in January 2005, illustrates a spiral galaxy's grand design. Some astronomers believe that the Whirlpool's arms are so prominent because of the effects of a close encounter with NGC 5195, the small, yellowish galaxy at the outermost tip of one of the Whirlpool's arms. At first glance, the compact galaxy appears to be tugging on the arm. Hubble's clear view, however, shows that NGC 5195 is passing behind the Whirlpool. The small galaxy has been gliding past the Whirlpool for hundreds of millions of years. The Whirlpool is one of astronomy's galactic darlings. Located 31 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs), the Whirlpool's beautiful face-on view and closeness to Earth allow astronomers to study a classic spiral galaxy's structure and star-forming processes. (AP Photo/NASA/ESA) less

During the 15 years that the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Hubble Space Telescope has orbited the Earth, it has taken three-quarters of a million photos of the cosmos -- images that have awed, astounded and ... more

Photo: Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS

During the 15 years that the NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)... Photo-153225.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The Houston Symphony will perform Gustav Holst's The Planets with a new film they commissioned that includes space photos from the Cassini spacecraft, the Mars Exploration Rover Mission and the Hubble Space Telescope. less

The Houston Symphony will perform Gustav Holst's The Planets with a new film they commissioned that includes space photos from the Cassini spacecraft, the Mars Exploration Rover Mission and the Hubble Space ... more

Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC4710. When starring directly at the center of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X'-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or "peanut-shaped" bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy's bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC4710. less

Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC4710. When starring directly at the center of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal ... more

Photo: NASA, AP

Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in... Photo-2016855.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This photo, taken with NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's cameras, shows a portion of the Carina Nebula released Tuesday, April 24, 2007, to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the launch and deployment of the Hubble. less

This photo, taken with NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's cameras, shows a portion of the Carina Nebula released Tuesday, April 24, 2007, to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the launch and deployment of the ... more

Photo: AP

This photo, taken with NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's... Photo-1341863.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This photo, released by NASA and the European Space Agency to commemorate the Hubble Space Telescope completing its 100,000th orbit around the Earth in its 18th year of exploration and discovery, scientists have aimed Hubble to take a snapshot of a dazzling region of celestial birth and renewal. Hubble peered into a small portion of the nebula near the star cluster NGC 2074, top, on Sunday, Aug.10, 2008. less

This photo, released by NASA and the European Space Agency to commemorate the Hubble Space Telescope completing its 100,000th orbit around the Earth in its 18th year of exploration and discovery, scientists ... more

Photo: AP

This photo, released by NASA and the European Space Agency to... Photo-1341864.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This image made by the Hubble Space Telescope and released by NASA Thursday, April 24, 2008 shows a pair of interacting galaxies consisting of NGC 5754, the large spiral on the top and NGC 5752, the smaller companion in the bottom left corner of the image. less

This image made by the Hubble Space Telescope and released by NASA Thursday, April 24, 2008 shows a pair of interacting galaxies consisting of NGC 5754, the large spiral on the top and NGC 5752, the smaller ... more

Photo: AP

This image made by the Hubble Space Telescope and released by NASA... Photo-1341865.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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This photo from the Hubble Spadce Telescope, supplied by NASA and the European Space Agency on Monday Dec. 11, 2006, shows part of the constellation Scorpius centered on the large emission nebula NGC 6357 which has star cluster Pismis 24 in its center. less

This photo from the Hubble Spadce Telescope, supplied by NASA and the European Space Agency on Monday Dec. 11, 2006, shows part of the constellation Scorpius centered on the large emission nebula NGC 6357 which ... more

Photo: AP

This photo from the Hubble Spadce Telescope, supplied by NASA and... Photo-1341862.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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*** ADDS DATE OF LAUNCH *** This image provided by NASA Tuesday April 21, 2009 shows a peculiar system of galaxies known as Arp 194. This interacting group contains several galaxies, along with a "cosmic fountain" of stars, gas, and dust that stretches over 100,000 light-years. The most striking feature of this galaxy troupe is the impressive blue stream of material extending from the northern component. This "fountain" contains complexes of super star clusters, each one of which may contain dozens of individual young star clusters. The blue color is produced by the hot, massive stars which dominate the light in each cluster. Overall, the "fountain" contains many millions of stars. This picture was issued to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1990. During the past 19 years Hubble has made more than 880,000 observations and snapped over 570,000 images of 29,000 celestial objects. The Space Shuttle Discovery placed the Hubble Space Telescope into Earth orbit on April 25, 1990. (AP Photo/NASA) less

*** ADDS DATE OF LAUNCH *** This image provided by NASA Tuesday April 21, 2009 shows a peculiar system of galaxies known as Arp 194. This interacting group contains several galaxies, along with a "cosmic ... more

This image, taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, shows the newly discovered planet, Fomalhaut b, orbiting its parent star, Fomalhaut. According to scientists this is the first visible light snapshot of a planet circling another star. The small white box at lower right pinpoints the planet's location. Fomalhaut b has carved a path along the inner edge of a vast, dusty debris ring encircling Fomalhaut that is 34.5 billion kilometers across. The inset at bottom right is a composite image showing the planet's position during Hubble observations taken in 2004 and 2006. Astronomers have calculated that Fomalhaut b completes an orbit around its parent star every 872 years. The white dot in the center of the image marks the star's location. (AP Photo/NASA/ESA) less

This image, taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, shows the newly discovered planet, Fomalhaut b, orbiting its parent star, Fomalhaut. According to scientists this is the ... more

Photo: NASA/ESA, AP

This image, taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard the... Photo-2410851.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Photos such as this from Saturn will be part of a new film commissioned by the Houston Symphony that will be premiered with a performance of Holst’s The Planets. The film features images from the Mars Exploration Rover Mission and the Hubble Space Telescope. less

Photos such as this from Saturn will be part of a new film commissioned by the Houston Symphony that will be premiered with a performance of Holst’s The Planets. The film features images from the Mars ... more

Photo: Houston Symphony

Photos such as this from Saturn will be part of a new film... Photo-1367953.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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A view of Saturn from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Camera exposures in four filters were combined to form the image and render the colors similar to what the eye would see through a telescope.

A view of Saturn from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Camera exposures in four filters were combined to form the image and render the colors similar to what the eye would see through a telescope.

Among the images recorded by the Hubble since its deployment in 1990 is this crimson pillar of gas and dust called the Cone Nebulla (NGC 2264).

Among the images recorded by the Hubble since its deployment in 1990 is this crimson pillar of gas and dust called the Cone Nebulla (NGC 2264).

Photo: AP

Among the images recorded by the Hubble since its deployment in... Photo-1422869.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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An image taken by Hubble Space telescope and released on October 30, 2008 by European Space Agency (ESA), shows a pair of gravitationally interacting galaxies called Arp 147, photographed on October 27-28, 2008. Arp 147 lies in the constellation of Cetus, more than 400 million light-years away from Earth.
AFP PHOTO / NASA / ESA / M. LIVIO (Photo credit should read LIVIO/AFP/Getty Images) less

An image taken by Hubble Space telescope and released on October 30, 2008 by European Space Agency (ESA), shows a pair of gravitationally interacting galaxies called Arp 147, photographed on October 27-28, ... more

Photo: LIVIO

An image taken by Hubble Space telescope and released on October... Photo-2504990.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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The planet Mars is pictured in this March 10, 1997 Hubble Space Telescope file photograph.

The planet Mars is pictured in this March 10, 1997 Hubble Space Telescope file photograph.

Photo: NASA, REUTERS

The planet Mars is pictured in this March 10, 1997 Hubble Space... Photo-2417085.81011 - San Antonio Express-News

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Uranus and its moon Ariel, casting a shadow on the planet.

Uranus and its moon Ariel, casting a shadow on the planet.

Uranus and its moon Ariel, casting a shadow on the planet. Photo-3511282.81011 - San Antonio Express-News